Pachacuti must have chosen Ollantaytambo for
its strategic location. It was heavily fortified and served for military
purposes, as well as civilian. The Inca army could guard the valley from
here. In this case too, the fortification was built on higher ground.

Ollantaytambo is considered a fortress due to
its immense solid walls, fortified gates, guard houses, very steep slopes.

A potential attacking force could hardly get
through such defenses.

Even the conquistadores had a hard time
getting in, despite the fact that on previous occasions they easily cut
through the Inca army.

The Spanish first attacked Ollantaytambo in
1536, but the fortress was well-defended by Manco Inca, successor of
Atahualpa (who was executed by the conquistadores). The conquistadores
numbering 100 had 30.000 Inca renegade warriors on their side, while the
Inca ruler Manco Capac defended Ollantaytambo with 30.000 of his forces.

During the Battle of Ollantaytambo the Inca
defenders used the terrain and the agricultural terraces in their
advantage.

The Inca had won over the attacking
conquistadores, who have retreated during the night to Cuzco.

Later, the Inca army had to cede
Ollantaytambo, because the Spaniards returned with reinforcements.

Ollantaytambo's Purpose

The Incas had built a military,
religious, administrative-political, agricultural and residential complex.
Much larger than the ruins of Písac, but located at a lower altitude.

It is one of the biggest Inca cities discovered by the Spaniards.

Unlike Cuzco, the strategic location of Ollantaytambo is much better. It
is on higher ground and it was built by taking account of the mountain's
shape.

Strategically-located at the tip of a mountain where 2 valleys meet.

Ollantaytambo has just about everything around it: agricultural terraces
irrigated by plentiful water coming from the mountains, gigantic stone
walls and labyrinth-like layout behind the entrance, which hardens the
invaders' struggle to get inside.

Architecture and Attractions of Ollantaytambo

The 2
main parts of Ollantaytambo are the Agricultural and the Urban Sector. In
addition to them, there is a 3rd, smaller part of the city.

The Urban Sector is split into 2 parts as well: the Popular District and
the Sacred District. The first one was the one in which most of the
population had lived, while the second one was the part reserved to the
religious, the high class Incas - this is where the temples are located.

The Popular District is located lower, while
to the Sacred District you will have to climb. The "ordinary" people lived
below, more exposed to possible attacks, while the high class Incas had
the better views and more protection for themselves, at the higher levels.

The
Incas had built many of their cities split into 2 main parts. This is also
noticeable in the case of Machu Picchu (an agricultural and an urban
part).

Ollantaytambo has sort of a suburban area, a bit further from the 2 urban
sectors. This is the 3rd part of the city, which is called Arajama and it
is situated just across the Patacancha River.

At a distance of approximately 3 km (1.8 mi), you will see a rock quarry.
This is called the Cachicata.

Probably this
was the site where the Inca workers had extracted the materials necessary
for the construction of Ollantaytambo. Many carved rocks are still
scattered around the quarry.

The construction of Ollantaytambo hasn't been finished. The reason is not
known.

Interestingly, in Ollantaytambo there are buildings that have 2 and 3
floors. Quite unusual, because most Inca buildings (such as the ones in
Machu Picchu) have a single floor.

One can distinguish the building types in Ollantaytambo, as well as in
Machu Picchu or Písac.

There are colcas (warehouses for grain, potatoes and other food storage),
similar to the ones found in Machu Picchu.

Tambos were also storage facilities, but these were located along the
roads, the Inca Trail.

It is believed that Ollantaytambo also served as a tambo, even though it
is much more than that, it is a city, in fact.

One of the most visible parts of the Urban District is the Main Square,
called Plaza de Armas in Spanish. Just like in the case of Cuzco, this is
an open space area. The Inca name for this square is pata. There are patas
in Machu Picchu and other cities as well.

Ollantaytambo:
the Inca terraces

The Popular District

You will
have to walk across the Popular District in order to reach the Sacred
District.

The buildings of the low class "ordinary"
Incas are located all in the Popular District. They are simple and usually
smaller than the ones in the Sacred District.

The population of this part of Ollantaytambo
consisted mostly of peasants, the working class etc.

Narrow streets run between the dwellings of
this district.

Many of the houses within this sector were
built of adobe bricks (hardened mud). This technique was widely used in
Eastern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Inner Asia.

Interestingly you will also find it here, in
the Andes.

Some buildings have clay-covered walls and
yellowish mortar-joined bricks.

Except homes, there are warehouses and
interestingly even gardens in the proximity of the houses.

The Popular District is protected by a wall
that is 3 m high (9.8 ft) and 1,5 m (4.9 ft) wide.

The Sacred District

This part of Ollantaytambo is sometimes
called "Temple Hill" and it has 3 sub-districts or sectors.

This part of Ollantaytambo has a large number
of terraces that are well-preserved. Their walls are mostly intact.

The "Temple of the Sun" is the central building in this district, but
unfortunately this structure is partly destroyed. The Spaniards couldn't
tolerate non-Christian religions.

If you walk the streets and reach up to the 2 main stairways and you'll
find that the Incas haven't finished constructing all of their dwellings.
They might have been interrupted by the Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire or, the hadn't had the time,
resources or enough reasons for bringing the work to the end.

The Arajama Part of Ollantaytambo

Located
just across the River Patacancha, this is the 3rd and smaller part of
Ollantaytambo.

Manco Inca was the last Inca
Emperor and he had this part constructed for improving the defense against
the Spaniards.

Mysteries and the Unique Values of Ollantaytambo

This
place is more than the ruins of "just an ordinary city".

Many ignore Ollantaytambo, because they are attracted by the more renowned
attractions like Machu Picchu and
Sacsayhuamán. True, the latter ones look
more beautiful. But, Ollantaytambo has things that other ruins don't have.

Ollantaytambo bears the marks of pre-Inca cultures and it was discovered
by archaeologists that the city sits on older Inca buildings (previously
there were some dwellings and Ollantaytambo was built on top of them).

Ollantaytambo is special among Inca ruins also because it reflects
multiple construction techniques. Here, one can observe the usage of
mortar, adobe bricks, the variety of stones that were used for wall
building. In case of Sacsayhuamán, Písac, Tambomachay or Machu Picchu, we
know that the dry stone technique was applied.

Coricancha Remains

In the
1930s, a group of archaeologist have come across greenish stones in the
ground at Ollantaytambo. These were found under some of the buildings.
After analyzing the layout, they figured out that it must have been a
Coricancha temple (the one in Cuzco is the most well-preserved
Coricancha).

Signs of Pre-Inca cultures

On the
stones used for construction, one can observe animal-shapes, carvings.
Specialists say that these cannot be attributed to the Inca culture, but
to other cultures that must have created them.

Some of these cultures might have been conquered by the Inca or might have
"blended in" with them.

Signs of the Tiahuanaco Culture

Tiahuanaco is a famous Inca site in Bolivia.

The "Temple of the Sun" in Ollantaytambo looks very similar to the
constructions at Tiahuanaco: the walls look similar, this including the 6
reddish stone clocks that have smaller rocks stuck between them and there
is a water and fertility symbol that is also common.

Getting There

The best way is to take the
train to Ollantaytambo, but it is also reachable
on road, for example by bus.

The distance from Cuzco is 80-90 km
(approximately 53 mi) on road or rail. In straight line it is half that
much.

Most travelers who travel to Machu Picchu stop over at Ollantaytambo, look around and
they continue their trip northwards.

Thank you for choosing Rediscover
Machu Picchu, the most popular and complete portal dedicated to
Machu Picchu, the Incas and Peru travel opportunities!

We have been serving our visitors
since 2006 and have received lots of encouraging, stimulating
messages, reason why we have extended our services and have improved
our site in order to better help you, regardless whether you are a
backpacker traveler, an adventure travel-seeker, an Inca fan,
archaeologist, professional photographer or even business
traveler...

With us, you will be able to learn
about Machu Picchu and the Incas, gather information about Peru, as
well as plan your trip, easily choose and book for travel services.

We welcome you and encourage you to
return to us frequently!

And, if you are planning to travel to
Peru, we wish you a trip of a lifetime!

In case you have any questions,
suggestions, ideas, remarks and business proposals, then don't
hesitate to contact us!